An alligator crossing the runway delayed a flight in Florida, obviously

Airport security is pretty tight these days. No one gets through the gate and onto the runway unless they’ve been thoroughly screened, but maybe these measures don’t apply to animals? At Orlando International Airport on Monday, an alligator found its way onto a runway, and was strolling at a leisurely pace toward a pond.

Passenger Anthony Velardi posted a video on Facebook, with the caption, “Only in Florida”.

A Spirit Airlines plane, which had just landed in Orlando from Washington D.C., had to wait for the alligator to reach its destination before it could proceed to the gate. One passenger told NPR that the pilot announced, “Believe it or not there is a gator on the runway and we are waiting for it to cross.” And wait, they did. The alligator did not seem bothered by the bustle of the airport’s machinery, and indeed, gator sightings are apparently quite common at the Orlando airport.

Ultimately the plane was only delayed five minutes, keeping the inconvenience relatively small, and giving passengers a great story to live up to everything they hoped Florida to be.

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. For more information on how we use cookies consult our revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.